The Service Learning Paper
Learning Experiences in Communities (LEC)
Kalayaan Homeowners (Formerly Kalayaan Chapter of PATAMABA)
MARCH 26, 2010
GROUP 6:
ABAD, TIMOTHY JOSEPH
IMPERIAL, ANNA SAMANTHA
JAVATE, KENNETH ROSS
PALMA, ROSE ANN
UY, RAYMONDE CHARLES
VALENCIA, MA. REGINA PAULA
PART I. BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
I. Background on the Partner-Organization
Home based workers are people who work from their homes since jobs are now difficult to find especially
for those who do not have a higher degree of education. Being a home based workers means being sufficient even
if one is officially unemployed. One of the main issues and problems in the Philippines being a third world country
is poverty. There are many Filipinos who are unemployed and remain in that situation of poverty. One solution is
to help Filipinos become aware of this situation and do something about it. This is what home based workers are
for. They are a solution to Filipinos so that they may have a livelihood that provides income and can help alleviate
poverty.
PambansangKalipunanngmgaManggagawangImpormalsaPilipinas, also known as PATAMABA, is an
organization of home-based workers whose goal is to raise awareness and promote action regarding several key
initiatives that include education and training, socio-economic assistance, networking and advocacy, social
protection and the empowerment of women. Considered as an informal sector in the Philippines, home based
workers suffer from poor working and living conditions, lack of resources and invisibility to the government. By
strengthening and expanding their network, they provide support services for their personal, social and economic
well-being. With this, they also try to bring about policy changes in order to further benefit and help their
members.
The organization at the national level was founded in May 1989 after which several chapters in different
parts of the country were established, two of which are in Angono, Rizal. PATAMABA-Kalayaan, one of the
chapters in Angono, was established in 1995 and has many of their home based workers involved in the
embroidery and smocking industry and other livelihood activities such as bedroom slipper making, candle wax
making, detergent production and polvoron production planned for a long term strategy projects in which their
alternative livelihoods are kept sustained. Their members share their organization’s vision and goals particularly
with respect to home-based workers gaining visibility and recognition from the government and country.
Currently, their primary goal is for their work to flourish as they all recognize every member’s great financial need.
Their efforts are also directed to address their poor living and working conditions. Most importantly, they
understand that with proper leadership and organization, they will be able to have proper representation that
would enable them to have access to an array of economic and social protection programs. PATAMABA-Kalayaan
currently has 196 members, 14 of which are officers. However, as we learned more about our partner
organization, we realized that they have other concerns have been brought up aside from the issues mentioned
above.
PATAMABA- Kalayaan currently has an issue on home and land provision. At first the concerns were about
them having livelihood activities and programs to help with their poor living and working conditions but then the
Kalayaan Chapter found themselves having no lands and homes to call their own. This gave them new objectives
other than finding livelihood activities. Therefore, they are now trying to establish themselves as a people’s
organization and separating from PATAMABA so that they too may be noticed by the local government. Their new
objective is to find land so they can build their homes and their community. Many times they find themselves
being evicted from the land given to them. They told of stories wherein land owners would make them leave their
lands since these land owners allowed them to stay in those lands “only for a while”. It is difficult for them to be
able to make a living since they have no place to do any of their activities. When typhoon Ondoy hit the
Philippines, the lands they once stayed on flooded and most of them live in evacuation centers with no place to go
home to. The officers of the Kalayaan Chapter are appealing their local government for lands that they can live on
and the local government has granted that request provided that they are able to pay the required amount of
money for the land. The estimate for the land was around three to four thousand pesos. Right now, this is their
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concern and together with them, we are trying to help them set goals and help them set up livelihood projects or
activities.
Vision
Homenet Philippines is a national network of informal workers which include PATAMABA and all its
chapters, one of which is Kalayaan. Their vision is “A society that recognizes the human rights of all workers, both
formal and informal, women and men, without any discrimination based on gender, class, ethnicity, sexual
orientation, age, and other differentiating factors, towards the social, political, and economic empowerment of
homebased workers through their own organized groups and networks “
Mission
For its mission, the organization will facilitate the consolidation of all homebased workers, particularly
women, in the country, and develop their capability to effect changes in policies, legislation, programs and services
in their interest.
Goals
PATAMABA- Kalayaan chapter currently uses the same goals as PATAMABA at the national level since they are still
establishing themselves as a new and different people’s organization. However, as mentioned above, one goal of
the Kalayaan Chapter is to have a community that they can build their homes on so that they can have their
livelihood projects. PATAMABA at the national level has the following goals:
1. Empower homebased workers, particularly women, as one of the main components of the informal economy
which absorbs the majority of all working people;
2. Facilitate the organization and consolidation of homebased workers throughout the Philippines towards a
common transformative agenda, and an integrated and comprehensive system of programs and services to benefit
them that will involve all stakeholders;
3. Develop the capabilities of homebased workers to gain visibility, recognition, participation, and representation
in relevant decision-making bodies of government (national government agencies, local government units,
government owned and controlled corporations, government financing institutions, etc) , trade unions,
cooperatives, development organizations, and other relevant groups; and
4. Improve access to productive resources, social protection, and justice
The ongoing major projects and programs right now for PATAMABA-Kalayaan:
1) Scholarship ng mga Kabataan where in 18 children were provided free education for six months. This was
started in September of 2009 and will be continued until the following year 2010.
2) Relief operations for Ondoy victims wherein PATAMABA-Kalayaan are partnered with UP and Wise Act.
The members are asked to do soap making and candle making where they are paid for their services. The
soaps and candles that they make are then given as relief goods to victims.
3) Relocation of PATAMABA members who are in the danger zone. Since the tragedy of Ondoy, PATAMABAKalayaan was now heard and noticed more by the Council of Angono, Rizal and the provision of land for
their homes is now being addressed further. This is the organization’s main concern. The only time they
can start moving forward is when they have a land they can call their own. Once they do, it will be easier
for them to establish their business and livelihood projects.
The main funds for this organization are from membership fees from all their members. There is an initial
membership payment fee and a monthly membership fee. Members have the option to pay right away but if they
cannot pay, the treasurer notes it down. It is during the general assembly when the treasurer asks for the
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membership payment from all of the members; including those who have not paid to pay their fees. Other funds
came from sales of their products such as soap and candles when they are able to sell them to people in their
municipality or their community. However, If they are in need of greater amounts of money, they apply for loans
from micro finance companies and some from Indian “5-6” lenders.
II. Research Methodology
The research methods used in learning about the partner organization were surveys, focused group
discussions, observation of the partner organization during one of their general assemblies and data from records
of their organization. Both surveys and focused group discussion methods are inexpensive and easier to do since
they can be flexible and respondents can be gathered. Surveys can be given and distributed to a population from
remote areas or to people who do not have time to attend group discussions. With this, different categories of
questions can be included in the survey in which a large population can answer. Self- administered questionnaires
are also less time- consuming since respondents are free to answer this survey when they can. To enhance the
response of surveys, focused group discussions can have more than one participant. With this, people in the FGD
are able to build on one another’s response and they can provide ideas and insights that might have not been
mentioned in the survey. Data analysis can be done, for example, they can be asked as what is more important and
more urgent for them as compared to what is not. Participants can also check and balance each other’s answers
especially ones with factual errors and extreme views. FGDs are also good for participants like children and people
with low levels of literacy. In observing the organization during one of their general assemblies, it permits the
observers to study the organization in their own native environment to further see and understand the
organization from their perspective. It allows the observers how the people within the organization interact and
how things are run. It is a non-intrusive method of data collection with which the researchers can collect data from
a large number of individuals without having to be involved. Records can provide data on how the organization is
run, who runs the organization and what rules govern these organizations.
Like any other methods of research, the mentioned methods above also have their disadvantages.
Surveys, on the other hand, do not take into account personal context between those who give the survey forms
and those who are answering them. It is important to also ensure that a large number of the selected population
will reply. One respondent or one small group of respondents may not be representative of the views of the larger
population. FGDs can be time consuming as well as geographic location also posing as a problem. Interviews may
also introduce bias either to the interviewer or respondent which can bring feelings of uneasiness and distrust.
Focused group discussions on the other hand may need a skilled and experienced moderator to keep a flowing and
structured discussion and analysis. Time can be spent unwisely if the discussion has no flow, structure or control.
Other concerns can be that some respondents of the group may be strong willed and dominant where in other
participants are not able to speak and/ or other participants may be pressured to answer the same thing the
majority says. Conflict avoidance and censoring must be avoided as well. Meanwhile, with purely observing an
organization, researchers can miss out on why the individuals from the organization act as such. This is why
surveys and FGDs are complementary with doing observations.
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III. Community Assessment (External Analysis)
A. Opportunities
The opportunities or favourable factors for Kalayaan and its constituent members consists of observations,
FGDs and survey results that may help the organization achieve their specific objectives in line with their V/M
(vision/mission).
I. Non- health
a. Moderate Government and Political Support, with Possible Affiliations
The institutional structure of PATAMABA-Kalayaan revolves around the board of directors being the sole
decision maker that approves the projects of the organization together with the other board members. The
institution is also allied with the local government units like the mayor’s office and infrastructure development
workers to help them in securing and financing the land in the area. They rely on the support of the current mayor,
and in turn, it is their best interest for the mayor to be re-elected this coming elections.
The local government units in Angono work with PATAMABA-Kalayaan in a cooperative project of
financing and securing the land wherein the members can settle. The mayor currently supports the anti-poverty
and land programs of PATAMABA-Kalayaan, and gains support from them. The social and land development
department of the mayor’s office helps out the organization with regards to paperwork and legal matters. Even
before Typhoon Ondoy, the mayor has remained a supporter of Kalayaan and their land acquisition project.
However, after the typhoon Ondoy, the mayor became even more supportive since the people of Kalayaan needed
it more than ever. The mayor has sent a liaison officer from her own social and land development department to
help in assisting the organization to get the land. The liaison is also part of an informal settler’s organization and is
tasked to assist the organization with regards to paperwork and legal matters. The liaison is also tasked to be the
conduit between the landowner and the organization. Currently, the deals have been finalized and what’s left is
payment of the land itself. Lastly, although there were no reports of any church groups that are helping them in
their cause, one of their board members is a prominent member of a church in their community which may open
the possibility of religious affiliation.
b. Peaceful Area, High Crime Solution Efficiency Rate with Moderate Sense of
Security.
Results from the survey conducted showed that 58% of the respondents feel that crimes are not
prevalent in their area. Furthermore, 61% answered that they do not worry often about their security and 67% said
that they can rely on the police force if they have a relevant problems. Based on statistics, the province of Rizal has
a crime volume of around 1800 in 2007, and crime solution efficiency rate of 97%. Angono in particular has 44
policemen, leading to a ratio of 1 policeman for every 2,209 citizens. There are no insurgencies or rebellions
reported in the area around Angono, which in turn does not impede the opportunities of the organization to
initiate and maintain any projects or programs they plan to do.
II. Health
a. Good Health Status Surveillance
It is good that the health center has records containing what health problems the Angono community
faces. The Municipal Health Center of Angono annually and regularly keeps track of health events in the area,
including epidemics, disasters and data on the prevalence of diseases causing the most morbidity and mortality.
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The municipality of Angono aims to address the health problems in the area via the various health programs
offered at the Municipal Health Center including:
 Expanded program on Immunization (EPI)
 Maternal and Child Health
 Family Planning
 TB Directly Observed Treatment Short-Course (DOTS)
 Malaria Control Program
 Dengue Control Program
b. Intrinsic Value for Health, with Good Perception and Awareness of Health
Needs
The members of Kalayaan Homeowners’ Association value their health and are willing to learn and make
changes in order to improve their current condition. As one of them said, “Pinapahalagahan naming ang
kalusugan. Kahit galling kami sa tambakan ng basura, gusto naming ng malinis, maayos at malusog na komunidad
paglipat naming sa aming bagong bahay”.
The members of KALAYAAN perceive that they need to establish their own health clinic or center near
their area to help with immediate care for the community and the others around them. They observe that they
need regular medical missions to their community because the usual missions are only in the more populated
town areas, which is far from them. They also wish for feeding programs, likened to those of UNICEF because of
their perception of malnutrition for both the children and the elderly. Their assessment of the activities of the
BHW in their area is inadequate because of some reported biases related to favoritism, “first come, first served”
process, and other monetary proceedings like asking for small “donations” and payments before getting medical
service.
Environmental cleanliness and hygiene is perceived to be important for them because they attribute this
to the prevalence of specific diseases like those affecting the lungs. They perceive to need materials for cleaning
their environment, or planting trees around the area to help. Lastly, sports programs were seen to be a health
need in the sense that this will make children be more active while adults become healthier, while distracting them
from drinking. Health education is highlighted as the most important health need because it relates to knowledge
of improper hygiene, malnutrition, and lack of reproductive health education.
B. Threats
The threats or unfavourable factors listed are those that defer or impede the organization in achieving
their objectives, and veer them away from their V/M.
I. Non- health
a. Predisposition to Frequent Flooding and Related Problems due to Low
Geographic Location
Angono is a part of the province of Rizal, which is located about 29 kilometers east of Manila. Rizal is
situated south of Bulacan and north of Laguna de Bay, with the provinces of Laguna and Quezon on its east.
Geographically, it can be divided into an upper portion and a lower portion based on the type of terrain it
occupies. Upper Angono includes the mountainous part of the region, which is not yet fully developed. As such, it
is characterized by presence of trees and a few small caves and falls.
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Because of the mountainous portion of Angono, it has evenly distributed rainfall throughout the year, and
just like most parts of the Philippines, it has a wet season from June to October, and a dry one for the rest of the
year. Furthermore, it is rarely directly hit by typhoons, low pressure systems, and high winds.
The members of Kalayaan Homeowners, as their name suggests, reside in Barangay Kalayaan, which is a
part of Lower Angono that acts as a catch basin for floodwaters coming from Upper Angono. The most of them
reside in a compound that used to be a dump site and it is prone to frequent flooding even with minimal amount
of rainfall. This led them to establish houses, which are elevated by wooden poles from the ground in order to
prevent flood water from entering their homes and destroying their properties. However, there are times when
these poles are not enough and the people are beset with problems, which threaten the stability of their daily
living and consequently their everyday activities particularly inside their homes. Moreover, the makeshift schools
turned evacuation centres during the times of heavy rains and floods suffer from lack of places for adequate
hygiene (portable toilets, etc). Furthermore, the land and housing area they are striving to acquire continues to be
threatened by its proximity to the sea and its surrounding mountainous areas. The area will still continue to be a
catch-basin for flood waters from higher levels.
b. Low Accessibility to Necessities and Establishments due to Ineffective
and Lacking Public Transportation
Angono was once just a barrio of Taytay and Binangonan but it is now legally recognized as a first class
municipality with a total land area of about 2622 hectares and a population size of 97,209 according to the 2007
NSO statistics. Two roads lead to Lower Angono, which in contrast to Upper Angono, is a plain region and has
undergone urbanization where many establishments can be found that supply the needs of its large population.
However, no public transportation passes through these roads. As such, inhabitants of Lower Angono frequently
have to go to Antipolo City, which is the closest town, for their necessities and establishments. However, even the
route to Antipolo City is problematic because of a 5km mountainous road between the two areas and inefficiency
in public transportation.
c. Large Families with Low Socioeconomic Status and Low Educational
Attainment
PATAMABA is a national organization with thousands of members scattered in different parts of the
country. PATAMABA-Kalayaan however, has a total of 196 members, 14 of which are elected officers. Most are
married women but there are also a handful of male members.
The group conducted a survey with the members of the organization and the results are then discussed
below. Sixty members returned and answered the survey forms. With this, answers were then compiled and
analyzed. For each member of the organization, the number of family members per family would vary as seen in
Table 1. With 38%, most members of the organization would have four to five members in the family, followed by
six to seven members in the family with 25%.
Table 1.Family Member Profile
Number family members per individual
1-3
4-5
6-7
8-10
More than 10
Percentage of the Organization Members
12
38
25
20
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Fifty percent (50%) of the organization’s members finished high school while 13% finished college and
15% finished grade school. Twenty- two percent (22%) however only took vocational courses. Out of the 60
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respondents, 55 of them claimed that at least one member from their family was working. Eighty- four percent
(84%) had one to two family members working while 16% had three or more members working for the family. The
most common jobs held by the members are as drivers, construction workers, seamstresses, and vendors.
The income or earnings per family ranges from less than 500 Philippines pesos to more than 2,500
Philippines pesos in one week. (Table 2) Twenty- nine percent (29%) of the families of the members of the
organization would earn ranging from 1500 to 1999 Philippines pesos in one week, followed very closely by 27% of
the families that earn ranging from 1000 to 1499 Philippine pesos. Majority of them can be considered poor, with
barely enough to spend for basic necessities.
Table 2.Range of Income/ Earnings per Family in One week
Range of Income/ Earnings (Philippines pesos)
Less than 500
500-999
1000-1499
1500-1999
2000-2499
More than 2500
Percentage of the Organization Members
3%
11%
27%
29%
18%
12%
In addition to their work-related issues, many of the members are still burdened with a high cost of living.
Some have even noticed that a few basic products such as meat are priced higher in their municipality compared
to their neighboring towns. Furthermore, data from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) show that
the minimum wages in Angono are relatively lower compared to its neighboring towns like Antipolo and Cainta,
which limits their buying power of the residents in the said area. Lastly, their socioeconomic status will also greatly
affect what they can do with the land they are working to acquire, together with its sustained development.
d. Lack of Infrastructure Development with Limited Livelihood
Opportunities
There is currently no ongoing constructions of any houses by NGOs and other charity organizations which
PATAMABA-Kalayaan hopes to ask help from them when the time arises. There are also no ongoing major
constructions of commercial buildings that may provide job opportunities for those in the area. Theoretically,
because they are living in an urban area, the numerous job opportunities that may be made available for the
residents of Barangay Kalayaan will be beneficial. However, in reality, possibly due to different requirements in
terms of age, educational attainment, and many others, the options for the members of the organization become
limited. This is mainly the reason why the members initially became attracted to and joined the organization.
Because of the scarcity of jobs and other avenues for earning a living, they learned different crafts through the
organization and put their knowledge into producing concrete products they can sell. Aside from smocking, which
is what Angono is known for, other livelihood crafts the members tried to venture into include soap and candlemaking, as well as weaving and food processing.
Because of the nature of Kalayaan, most of its members have no permanent work and depend on their
livelihood in their homes as their sole source of income. Others on the other hand have family members who have
permanent contractual jobs and help them with their financial needs. Nevertheless, all of the members benefit
from the livelihood projects they learn from the organization. Furthermore, through the organization, some of
them are given opportunities to market their products to big companies who wish to buy in bulk.
However, despite the benefits they receive from the organization, the members have a lot of problems,
which hinder them from earning sufficient amounts of money to be able to live comfortably. One of the major
setbacks is the lack of available capital for them to be able to buy large amounts of raw materials and increase
their production to be sold to individuals and companies. Though the organization provides them with knowledge,
they lack financial support to back the members. Another problem is the lack of proper venue for them to be able
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to showcase their products. Although some companies get in touch with them in case they have specific products
in mind, this kind of opportunity does not happen often. Most of the members just sell their products individually
in the streets. Since this is done illegally, without the necessary permits, they are forced either to pay bribe money
to the authorities in charge of the area where they are selling, or they just pack up immediately and run with their
products whenever the authorities come near their selling place. Finally, another major problem the members of
the organization is the instability of their homes. Since they primarily work in their houses, any problem with it
affects their work and productivity.
e. Presence of Political and Organizational Barriers
The presence of some influential groups and political parties that do not agree with the organization’s
projects serves as threats to the objectives of the organization. These includes the private villages around the area,
and also some political entities like the ex-mayor that do not approve some of their paperwork thereby stalling
their land-owning project. The members of the organization have very little influence with regards to the political
proceedings that are concerned with their project. This is seen by their recourse of sending a message to the local
government officials by picketing in front of the city hall and development office. With little influence they have,
they are at a disadvantage with regards to dealing with the private villages in the area who do not want their
project to push through. Although they are being helped by some barangay officials and their current mayor, all
they can do is ask and rely on them for help.
f. Lack of Accessible Records and Legal Documents pertaining to Municipal
Data and Activities
The municipal office of Angono claims to not have any records or legal documents on hand that holds
information about the municipality of Angono which includes revenue, population, economic, political and social
standings. These records and documents are found in other departments and agencies within Rizal. With this, it is
difficult to be able to get a hold of these papers. It is important to have records on hand to be able to analyze the
municipality and the members that live within this place; it can help determine what community and other
external factors affect the members of Kalayaan homeowners.
g. Lack of Organizational Youth Involvement and Indigent Cultural Beliefs
Angono, Rizal is known to be a place where artists thrive and galleries flourish. This can be seen in the
various museums and art galleries found around the town. With that said, different organizations try and
encourage the youth to go into the arts and to create artists that can develop to be proud products of Angono.
PATAMABA-Kalayaan reported that they have a youth group that tries to develop and encourage projects that
focus on creating artworks via painting, and musical aptitude. Although the youth projects may serve as a boon to
the organization with regards to the prevailing culture of their area, the mentioned youth group unfortunately is
not highlighted nor is seen by the organization as a priority, because of their current situation and goals. Lastly,
there are still some beliefs that are seen to be problematic in the case. Indigent Filipino cultural beliefs and habits
are still practiced by those in the area like the mañana habit, and consulting with albolaryos.
II. Health
a. Prevalence and Inadequate Treatment of Infectious and Lifestyle Diseases; Illequipped Rural Health Clinics and High Medical Costs
The table below shows the Field Health Service Information System (FHSIS) Annual Report for 2009 of the
Municipal Health Center of Angono, Rizal. The ten leading causes of morbidity in the municipality of Angono, Rizal
are:
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Table 1. Ten leading causes of morbidity in Angono, Rizal
FHSIS Annual Report for Year 2009
Municipality/City of Angono
Province of Rizal
MORBIDITY DISEASES REPORT
1. Upper Respiratory Tract Infections
2. Acute Watery Diarrhea
3. Pulmonary Tuberculosis
4. Osteoarthritis
5. Skin abscess
6. Myalgia
7. Intestinal Parastism
8. Scabies
9. Rheumatism
10. Impetigo
Similar to previous years, upper respiratory tract infections and acute watery diarrhea were again the
most common causes of morbidity. However, it was reported that the number of cases for both diseases doubled
this year compared to the last. Furthermore, skin conditions such as skin abscess, scabies and impetigo, which are
usually not very common conditions to be seen in morbidity reports, were also included among the ten leading
causes of morbidity in Angono. These occurrences are mainly attributed to the aftermath of Typhoon Ondoy.
Other notable infectious diseases include pulmonary tuberculosis and intestinal parasitism.
On the other hand, the ten leading causes of mortality in the Municipality of Angono for the year 2009 is
shown in the table below:
Table 2. Ten leading causes of mortality in Angono, Rizal
FHSIS Annual Report for Year 2009
Municipality/City of Angono
Province of Rizal
MORTALITY DISEASES REPORT
1. Coronary Artery Diseases
2. Cerebrovascular Accidents (stroke)
3. Pneumonia
4. Pulmonary Tuberculosis
5. Diabetes Mellitus and Renal Diseases
6. Septicemia
7. Senility and Multiple Organ Failure
8. Congestive Heart Failure
9. Hypertension and Acute Pancreatitis
10. Lung Cancer
From the table above, it is apparent that lifestyle diseases dominate the ten leading causes of mortality.
Infectious diseases such as pneumonia, pulmonary tuberculosis and septicemia are also common causes of
mortality. It is interesting to note that tuberculosis was included both in the top ten leading causes of morbidity
and mortality. This scenario suggests two possibilities. First, perhaps treatment of those who have tuberculosis is
not efficient since many people still die from it. Second, this can also mean that although others are treated
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adequately, there are other cases which are not managed immediately. Instead they present later on in the
disease course when nothing much can be done about it anymore.
Based on the survey, the top three complaints or concerns of the pediatric population of the
organization’s members upon consultation, in order, are as follows: colds, cough and diarrhea. Other concerns
would include fever, asthma, vomiting, lung problems and ear problems. This is in contrast with the results of the
FGD where the participants said that diarrhea is not common in their area. For them the top three common
complaints of the children are cough, colds, and parasitic infection. For the adult population, the top three
diseases that were mentioned in the surveys, in order, are as follows: hypertension, diabetes and stroke. One of
their most common complaints also include cough. Other illnesses in the adult population include heart problems,
tuberculosis, diarrhea and arthritis. FGD also yielded similar results, with the addition of “bangungot”, suicide, and
STDs. Some members also talked about people developing abdominal mass which they attributed to the people’s
habit of eating food scraps from garbage which they cook again before eating. When asked about the most
pressing health issues that they want to be addressed, common answers of the participants include hypertension,
malnutrition, hygiene, and the problem of having so many children which is prevalent in their area. Possible
measures enumerated in order to address these include government interventions and instilling discipline among
the people in terms of their lifestyle. However, what is striking is their emphasis on the importance of education
about these problems, including information regarding the causes, basic treatment or management plans, and
prevention. For example, they expressed the need to know more about hypertension, family planning, about the
right and well-balanced meals.
From the data gathered regarding the epidemiology in the area where the organization is residing, these
health threats contribute to the increasing health costs of residents and Kalayaan members in the surrounding
community. Lastly, although health clinics in the area around Angono are reported to be accessible, they are said
to be ill equipped, which can similarly be compared to other small rural health clinics in the country.
b. Strong Influence of Traditional Health Beliefs and Dependence on Faith Healers
Traditional health beliefs form the backdrop against the Philippine health system works, particularly in the
rural areas. As such, understanding the interaction between these components will form a vital key in
understanding the community’s health behaviors and consequently, interventions geared toward the
improvements of such. Survey analyses shows that these health beliefs are still strong in this community, despite
the reach of urbanization (and consequent Westernization) of these areas.
Health Belief
Yes (%)
No (%)
Naniniwala ako sa usog
Naniniwala ako sa pasma.
Naniniwala ako sa kulam.
Nagpapatingin ako sa albularyo.
Nagpapatingin ako sa hilot.
Kapag may karamdaman, una kong pupuntahan
ang hilot o albularyo bago ang health
center/ospital.
37 (61.6%)
52 (86.6%)
23 (42.6%)
20 (39.2%)
32 (53.3%)
22 (40.7%)
23 (38.4%)
8 (13.4%)
31 (57.4%)
31 (60.8%)
28 (46.7%)
32 (59.3%)
Total Respondents
(out of 60)
60
60
54
51
60
54
Survey results show that a great majority rely on doctrines of usog and pasma in order to explain simple
conditions such as childhood illnesses (nausugan) and arthritic/neurologic hand conditions (nagpapasma).
Interestingly, more than a third of the respondents are able to explain seemingly mysterious illnesses via malicious
intent and actions of a supernaturally-adept individual via the local form of witchcraft. As such, one analysis that
can be made from these findings is that traditional health beliefs are means by which a population lacking in
formal health education seeks to explain phenomena that is commonly explained by medical science by people
11
with higher educational levels. Therefore, their current state reflects not just the pervasiveness of traditional
culture still present in the population, but their lack of access to information about health. Moreover, based on
this, possible challenges to implementing a health intervention is negotiating their set of beliefs which could
possibly contradict Western medical concepts which underlie most of the interventions proposed by the WHO.
In terms of health behaviors, the survey results also demonstrate that many members of the organization
also still rely on traditional health practitioners such as albularyos and hilotsin order to address their pressing
health concerns. Moreover, a significant number prioritize going to such agents before health centers and
hospitals during health emergencies. Again, this practice reflects the lack of access members face given the general
inaccessibility of the barangay-based health center, which from their experience, generally ignore those who are
not their “cronies” generally and them as informal settlers specifically. At the other end of the spectrum, private
medical services are thus utilizable, but to the few who have limited capacity to pay. Most members still believe in
traditional medicine and cultural beliefs such as usog, pasma and kulam. Sixty- two percent (62%) believe in usog,
87% believe in pasma and 43% believe in kulam. Sixty- seven percent (67%) would drink and use herbal medicine
and supplements. Thrity- nine percent (39%) would still visit the albularyo while 53% would visit a hilot when there
are illnesses in the family.
In lieu of this, the survey demonstrated that most members of the organization have regular visits from a
barangay health worker near their area. As such, their longstanding dependence on traditional medicine
practitioners can be seen as a threat to an intervention which seeks to strengthen health knowledge and behaviors
that are based on a Western framework.
c. Poor Housing Conditions, Expenditures on Utilities, and Hygienic Practices
Despite living in a city, majority of the members of PATAMABA- Kalayaan have very poor housing
conditions. Most of them reside as informal settles near a dumpsite. Their houses are small and made of thin
woods, with minimal appliances and furniture inside except for those who are relatively more well-off than the
rest. As mentioned, they reside in the lower part of Angono, and excess water from the nearby mountains flow to
their area, making flood a usual albeit an unwanted occurrence. Even with ordinary amount of rainfall, water still
tend to accumulate under their elevated houses. Furthermore, the situation gets worse in times of typhoons and
the problem usually gets out of hand. As seen especially with the recent typhoon Ondoy, all of them were forced
to leave their homes and stay at evacuation centers. What is worse is that some of the homes are still submerged
in water and not fit to be occupied even after more than a month has gone by. Furthermore, many of these houses
were completely destroyed by the recent typhoon and the homeowners badly need new houses.
Aside from the health infectious risks that the community has with frequent flooding, uncemented roads
and walkways also pose a danger to the residents especially when the ground becomes wet and slippery.
Several households who can afford to pay for utilities have installed separate electricity lines. However, they
have difficulties in acquiring potable water since the area does not have a proper water system. Instead, they use a
well as their water source and they buy commercially available drinking water. Fortunately, just this year, some of
the members were able to secure a line from the National Water and Sanitation Association of the Philippines
(NAWASA) for their area.
In addition to the survey and health records, the group also conducted a small focused group discussion with
12 participants composed of officers and members of the organization. This was done in order to elicit
supplementary information regarding their health practices and beliefs.
About 78% of the organization members get their water from NAWASA or Maynilad due to the recent
installation of private lines from these companies because of the members’ perseverance. On the other hand, 17%
would buy water and 5% would get water from deep well. As for their drinking water, 47% of the members would
12
buy mineral or drinking water while 52% would get from the faucet and 2% would get from deep well. Sources of
water for those who opt to buy include stores selling mineral water, local water-refilling stations, and their
neighbors who have access to NAWASA or Maynilad, with a normal rate of P2 for every medium-sized container.
According to the participants of the SGD, people become more mindful of their water source for drinking when
they have babies or children living amongst them because they are more prone to developing health problems
such as diarrhea. However, these figures are not consistent throughout the year. More people tend to buy water
during the rainy months, depending on their income, because of the belief that the water they normally drink from
NAWASA, Maynilad, and deep well becomes contaminated during these months. From the members who would
get their water from the faucet and deep well, only 34% would boil their water prior to drinking while the rest of
the 66% of the members would not boil their water.
Fifty- eight out of 60 members have bathrooms and toilets at their homes. However, many of these, got
destroyed because of the effects of Ondoy last September. In addition, based on the result of the FGD conducted,
are not connected to big sewages. Instead, the people made the drainage for their toilets on their own by digging
on the ground. They are aware that this is not ideal especially for their health but they claim that they do not have
access to a major sewage because their area is isolated. Furthermore, they hope that this would not be the case
when they relocate to their new homes, considering that the area would undergo development before the people
actually move in.
Garbage and its disposal is one of the problems in the area, which used to be a dump site until 2007.
Currently, it is a site for segregation of the trash collected from all of Angono before these are brought to official
dump sites. When asked about garbage disposal, survey results showed that 62% of the members claimed that
their garbage is collected at least one to three times a week while 22% would burn their garbage, 15% would
throw their garbage at a garbage dump and 1% would bury their garbage. The FGD also yielded similar results,
where people voiced out their concern about the garbage not being collected regularly. According to them,
sometimes they experience discrimination because garbage collection stops right before their area. Reasons for
this include their socioeconomic status, with them being poor, and because it is hard for the garbage truck to enter
and maneuver in their area because of the small roads. As such, they accumulate their trash in plastic bags, which
are usually seen hanging in the kitchen, and let a couple of days pass before bringing these to the dump site or
burning them. Food scraps on the other hand are usually put on plots to serve as fertilizers. Another problem
regarding garbage disposal is the lack of discipline of some of the members of the community. FGD participants
narrated how some of their neighbors just throw their trash anywhere despite being reprimanded of the possible
consequences of such practice. Thus, some members of the organization volunteer to roam around their area
every Sunday to clean and collect garbage and they have been doing this for several years already.
d. Inefficient and Unsatisfactory Health Services, Expenditures and Lack of Health
Insurance
When a family member would get sick or ill, survey results shows that 51% of the organization’s members
would consult with a doctor from the health center, 21 % with a private doctor, 15% with a health worker or a
midwife while 6% would still visit the albularyo. Only 7% would not go for consult.
Figure 1.Person/s Consulted During Illnesses
13
Doctor sa Health
Center
7% 6%
15%
Private Doctor
51%
21%
Health Worker/
Midwife
None
Similar results were also gathered from the FGD, but the participants said they tend to self-medicate first
before consulting others due to financial constraints. In addition, all of them mentioned that they all go to the
municipal health center (MHC) rather than go the the baranggay health center (BHC) for several reasons. First, the
BHC rarely has a doctor available, only about twice a month. Usually, it is the midwife who sees to everyone that
goes there and the participants remarked how she had turned the BHC to her own personal home. Second, they
said that the BHC is a good place to go to only if the services one requires involves immunizations and prenatal
care. For other various symptoms, one must wait for a long time and endure being ignored before being seen by
the midwife. Furthermore, in terms of diagnostics tests such as Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) and Pap smear, even
though they perform the tests, they tell the patients to come back several times until such time that the patients
lose interest and give up in trying to get the results. Finally, the BHC seem to often lack the necessary drugs except
to those who are personally associated with the midwife or other health workers. There have also been rumors
about the medicines which are supposedly free were being sold, while the expired ones being distributed among
the people.
However, some also go to private clinics because the service is faster and there are available privae
doctors who only charge a small fee, one as low as P15, for every consultation. Furthermore, some said that some
public institutions offer services for free only in theory. This is because they require a donation. Another
participant mentioned that she would rather go to a private clinic as long as she has money because of a previous
bad experience in a public hospital. She recounted how there continued to watch the television about the 9/11
incidet despite her experiencing severe labor pains already.
Ninety- eight percent (98%) have had their children immunized while 2% did not. Ninety- eight percent
(98%) brought their children to the local health center to have it done while 2% went to their private doctors.
Participants in the FGD said than none of them goes for regular check up due to financial constraints.
Some of them only gets evaluated by a doctor when they donate blood every few months. The participants said
they only go to a health professional whenever they feel sick or when they experience pain. Furthermore, some do
not seek consult at all and just choose to live with their sickness because they do know that they cannot buy the
medicines that the doctors will prescribe.
Lastly, when asked about Phil Health during FGD, only three of the participants are members. One won
her membership in a raffle, while the other two received free memberships from Sen. Angara. One of the
participants said she is not a member because she does not have enough money while the others offered no
explanation. They admitted however that indigents get to have free membership but they said they cannot qualify
as one. None of them can give a clear description of Phil Health, its benefits, and why it is advantageous to be a
member.
14
IV. Internal Analysis
Historical performance and program accomplishments
Kalayaan is a new people’s organization and they have yet to do projects with them as the primary
instigator. For now, they are focused on one big project: the land acquisition project. This is the organization’s
primary focus. The land acquisition project has been fast tracked when Storm Ondoy hit. The devastation hit by
Ondoy prompted the local government to help immediately those like Kalayaan who were affected by the floods.
When Kalayaan was still a member of PATAMABA-National, they implemented many programs after it
was initially established. Programs are mostly of the seminar type such as leadership seminars, gender and
development seminars, livelihood seminars and the like. These seminars are generally well attended and are
valued by the members of the organization since they recognized that it really has helped the organization. Some
of these projects were also done locally by Kalayaan in conjunction with the national chapter. However, officers of
Kalayaan revealead that these are not really successful for a variety of reasons. First, while the projects may have
looked organized, in reality, these were not well coordinated. One of the factors that the organization has
mentioned was the lack of project managers and thus a lack of monitoring of the project itself. Second, while
members of the organization understand the value of skills, they admitted that funds would always be a major
concern. They have a good grasp of lessons learned in the seminars, but they were not taught how and where they
might get the funds for their projects to push through. This concern is one of their top priorities at the moment.
As of now, the organization is in the process of establishing themselves as a separate entity from their
national chapter. Currently, they are trying to rename their organization and change the structure from an nonprofit organization (NGO) to a People’s Organization.
Factors affecting performance
A. Vision and strategy
Currently, the organization has a new vision, mission and objectives (VMO) (see pages 3 to 4) and this is
more applicable than their previous one, which was patterned after the National-PATAMABA VMO. Their new
VMO was made by their officers in an FGD with facilitators coming from outside the organization. The VMO is still
new and the officers are the only ones who know about it. However, it is expected in the upcoming months that
the new VMO would be known by all the other members.
B. Leadership and management style
The leadership style of the organization is still unclear to the members since they had a reorganizing of
the organizational structure. In the FGDs and in the projects, the secretary who was the former president of
PATAMABA, is the one who had the most to say and she was the one who spoke with authority regarding the
organization’s activities. The Chairman of the board mostly keeps quiet and stays in the background.
This recent change in the leadership style is not yet proven but it seems that the problems with their last
leadership style have been carried over to this one. Most of the members of the organization lack initiative and are
usually predisposed to agree this time, with the secretary. The members still look up to the secretary and her
leadership skills to resolve the problem
In terms of educational attainment, most of the members are high school graduates and it is rare to see a
college graduate among them. But they generally believe that educational attainment is not a hindrance if a
member desires to be an officer in the organization. Instead, the organization values the candidate’s ability to lead
and his or her suitability for the position.
15
In the long term, it is the hope of the organization that its members take initiative in their projects as they
move forward. The organization is still in the transition phase and is still a work in progress in that the officers,
even though they have their own projects they seek guidance from the secretary who used to lead them as
president. The group believes that the new organizational structure is still yet unproven and time will tell if there
would be a change in the leadership style because of it.
C. Organizational structure and skills
General
Assembly
Chairman
of the
Board
Board
Members
(9)
President
Executive
Committee
Vice
President
Secretary
Treasurer
Auditor
PRO
While the old organization, PATAMABA, was registered under the Department of Labor and Employment,
Kalayaan had to be registered under the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB). The new organizational
structure presented above is essentially imposed by HLURB on Kalayaan. Apparently, it was necessary to follow the
given organizational structure to earn the approval of the regulatory board.
To better understand this structure, consider a scenario wherein a project is proposed and later
implemented. First, the board members conceptualize a particular project (with the assistance of the executive
committee). Thereafter, it will be proposed to the general assembly. The general assembly as a whole has the
highest position in the organization. As such, they have the privilege of being the last one to give their approval or
refusal. Finally, when the proposal is accepted, the executive committee will put it into effect.
This recent change in organizational structure proved to be confusing for most members of Kalayaan.
During the FGD, it was apparent that members and officers alike do not entirely understand their organizational
structure. The secretary, who was the former president of PATAMABA, was the only one who understood why the
organizational structure was such and how it was supposed to function. Furthermore, it seemed the organizational
16
structure described on paper is not really how it is in reality. The people still look up to the secretary for leadership
and guidance as if they were still with PATAMABA.
D. Rewards and motivation
Perhaps the greatest reward and motivation for the members of the organization would be their
entitlement to the housing project of the Local Government Unit (LGU). Another simple reward for members is the
basic reimbursement of expenses related to organizational operation and “pa-merienda” during meetings. The
current problem of the organization itself is financial in nature. Thus the organization cannot provide any financial
benefits to any of its members. But according to the organizational laws, officers are entitled to monetary
compensation when there are sufficient funds. As of now, this can be considered as a threat in a sense that officers
can lose interest in the position since they are not receiving compensation for their work. Fortunately, the officers
and members are driven in their desire for change. They want to improve their situation. For now, they declare
that this is enough motivation for them.
E. Helping mechanisms, systems and shared values
The members of the organization have always been aware of the values that are espoused by their
previous organization and they have always tried to live by these values. Now that they have established a new
organization, it still seems as if they have carried over their values and systems. It appears as if the only thing that
changed was their name and their objective. The members are still the same and although was a change in their
leadership, they actually revert to their old systems and habits
However, one notable shared value was elicited. In terms of finances, they highly encourage
transparency. This was because they had an incident of financial mismanagement when they were still with
PATAMABA. Now, they agreed to have all transactions monitored and recorded. These records are available to
anyone who wishes to see their accounts.
At present, their finances are not adequate for the needs of the organization. They rely only on the Php 25
monthly contribution from each of the members. They have no other external sources of income.
F. Relationships
One of the main problems of the organization is the lack of initiative from all the other officers except for
the secretary. It seems as if the secretary is the only one who exerts the most effort. She is the organization’s
driving force. In this regard, the organization certainly needs improvement. Teamwork is necessary in order for the
organization to achieve their mission.
Members and officers have known each other for a long time. They are neighbors as well as friends. Given
this setup, members can easily contribute ideas. The officers can be approached by anyone in an informal manner.
Although communication channels are rather open, the problem lies with the longstanding culture of passiveness
among the members which was carried over from their old organization. This passiveness which in fact entails lack
of cooperation and their extreme reliance on their secretary must be addressed.
Overall Assessment
An overall look at the organization’s internal factors reveal several areas of weakness which could
potentially hinder Kalayaan from achieving its lofty goals:
1. In the first place, for all intents and purposes, this is a very new organization, having only
delineated themselves from PATAMABA recently in order to focus on their own specific vision
and objectives. As such, the organization does not have the benefit of hindsight and experience
in terms of the many decisions that need to be made.
2. Moreover, there seems to be a great reliance on one particular individual, which is problematic
since it raises the questions of what would happen should she be incapacitated or if she would
17
3.
4.
be able to handle all of the responsibilities attendant to her working style, given the growth of
the organization.
In connection, the complicated organizational framework, which they had to assume in
compliance to external requirements, still seems to be very alien to them, and whether the
organization will be able to achieve its goals using this depends on how well the officers will be
able to educate the members and implement the system properly.
Finally, the organization’s desires are myriad, but their individual capabilities in terms of
information and physical resources are severely limited, which in this challenging environment
opens them to the potential of abuse by more powerful agents who could take advantage of the
group’s naïveté in order to pursue their own agenda.
Despite the difficulties, one can actually take advantage of these weaknesses and turn them around as
organizational strengths, with proper management of the group:
1. For example, the newness of the organization provides a fresh start for the members to really
envision their goals for themselves and commit themselves in pursuit of this vision. Greater
investment naturally will beget greater effort, and thus better results. This is clearly seen in the
members’ passion and enthusiasm for the organization’s projects, both current and proposed,
the key to which is disseminating proper information and dispelling the rumors that members
tend to get easily swayed by.
2. Moreover, at this point, the relative smallness of the organization lends itself to a personalityoriented leadership style, and the clear admiration for their leader’s work ethic translates into
more effective involvement from the members.
3. Finally, the fact that these members have so little to work with only ensures greater motivation
and passion for the organization’s ideals of creating a better standard of living for their
members. This is important as it virtually assures the full cooperation of the members with any
intervention that is effectively geared toward their stated goals.
18
V. Analysis of Issues and Generation of Alternative
Strategies/Programs
SWOT Analysis
STRENGTHS





Strong, well-respected, and
hardworking leader
Organizational structure
provides transparency for formal
decision
Newness of organization can
work to their advantage in terms
of active involvement
Officers’ work can be viewed as
altruistic, being uncompensated
Relationships are still very
familiar and informal; even the
officers are approachable
OPPORTUNITIES






Sporadic livelihood projects
organized by PATAMABA
Accessibility of local health
centers
Donations and relief goods from
charitable bodies are available
Connections of the president to
local government agencies and
the mayor
Connections to AKBAYAN! Party
List
Elections and recent tragedies
provide an added incentive for
government to assist them
WEAKNESSES

VMO and org structure are new;
not yet disseminated to most
members
 Leader’s strong personality
tends to overshadow other
officers and encourage a passive
attitude among many, even the
officers
 Organization has no means of
income generation except for
member contributions, which
can be problematic
 Decision making process can be
slow
 Tendency for gossip
 Lack of formal infrastructure for
meetings and to house the files
and data of the group
 Officers receive no
compensation for their work,
which can lead to lack of
accountability
THREATS








Lack of home security due to
weather and hazards of informal
settling
Widespread poverty
Lack of educational
opportunities
Lack of job opportunities, both
formal and home-based
Lack of capital and targeted
market to engage in
entrepreneurial activities
Working in underground
economy necessitates bribery or
avoidance of authorities
Higher cost of living in Angono
vis-à-vis neighboring towns
Lack of an efficient
19


transportation system and other
infrastructure (ie. Roads)
Tendency to be used as political
bait by rival political factions
Fear and suspicion by citizens
who view them as “squatters”
Analysis of Issues
Looking at their original stated goals vis-à-vis their current project of providing housing opportunities for
their members, it can be seen that currently the scope of their vision has the broad theme of addressing individual
economic and social stability of members through a pooling of common efforts. For it is clear that given their lack
of capability to address such needs at an individual level, the solution is to find strength in numbers. As a people’s
organization however, the fate of the group cannot be separated from that of the individual member; for example,
the failure to contribute monthly payment of the individual is a failure to contribute the necessary investment that
will make up the lump sum of organizational efforts. Therefore the analysis of the difficulties inherent in achieving
this organization’s goals will by necessity, include individual member concerns in addition to those of the larger
group. Moreover, in analyzing the problem, the reality of the Philippine situation of widespread poverty in the
midst of inequitably distributed scarce resources will be considered a backdrop to the situation, because only
interventions on a massive scale will be able to tackle this problem.
Externally speaking, one of the organization’s biggest problems is the general bleakness of the economic
and social milieu in which the individual members find themselves. In the first place, lack of economic stability,
primarily but not limited to jobs prevent them from fully contributing to the virtuous cycle of investment-andgrowth that an organization needs to thrive. In the language of microeconomics, the labor is available, yet there Is
no capital to keep production running. In real terms for example, no longer do opportunities in the garments
sector exist as they once did, with factories in this and many other industries fleeing to countries where labor and
inputs are cheaper, thanks to globalization. This is also why the organization’s original thrust of skills-training and
development no longer applies. Microfinancing is an option to address this, but their knowledge and actual
availability of such alternatives are limited, given limited opportunities for sponsorhipin a beleaguered economic
climate and the plethora of other petition-seeker. Moreover, the lack of security brought about by having no
permanent residence is rooted that land is basically unavailable to be had in terms that they can afford. As
individuals, they have no assets to pay the lump sum or short-term-payments usually required to buy or even rent
land-and-lodging, which, when talking of land purchasing, has significant economies of scale. In conjunction,
government social housing project opportunities are too few given the demand unlike in developed nations, hence
the proliferation of informal settlers, many among them members of the organization. Thirdly, despite their efforts
to cooperate and work through legitimate channels, even these are not free from the perils of the immature
political culture of the country as is reflected in their struggles in negotiating the partisan nature of what should be
simply bureaucratic offices. Hence, it is no wonder that life for the members, and therefore the work of the
organization, is a constant struggle against seemingly insurmountable odds.
Given the difficulties surrounding their organization, it would be in its best interest to address several
internal factors that can improve its effectivity. In the first place, the organization would do well to define what it
wishes to do in terms of its vision, mission, and objectives. Clearly, obtaining housing is an ambitious and effortful
project, but should the organization achieve that objective, there is the question of what the organization will do in
the long run. In fact, such a question should be something that the leaders of the group should be working on now,
in order to limit their scope of work and to lay in the groundwork for what will be bigger tasks in the future.
Secondly, the leader of the group, asset as she may be given her strong capabilities, should have plans in place for
transition of responsibilities in the event that she can no longer fulfill them. Moreover, she should already be
actively seeking ways to distribute responsibility among officers and even members, because shared responsibility
results in greater individual effort, given that each member has a personal stake in the workings of the group. This
20
would also hasten efficiency and neutralize any opposition and gossip that usually comes from any segment of an
organization that feels marginalized or ignored in terms of the organization’s workings. The group should also
focus on ways to generating sustainable income aside from member contributions in order to achieve their goals
and perhaps to also address the lack of a headquarters to improve the functional capacity of the organization.
Possible Programs to Address the Issues
Fundraising for A Community Center
A fundraising program is relatively easy to conceptualize and execute. Raising funds for a community center in
their new location will address the need for the group’s headquarters. However, this is again a short term goal and
as such assisting in such a project could reinforce the doleout mentality that is the danger of relief goods
operations and charity drives that the community is used to. Moreover, the question is whether the people will be
interested in working for a project when they themselves are focusing on building their own houses. The most
important question is whether the move to their new location can push through. At this point in the process, their
housing application is still in-process, and anything could happen.
Health Education Programs
Health education programs are certainly helpful in any community and the advantage of such a program is that we,
as medical students, are well-equipped to conceptualize such an endeavor. However, as a priority, health
competes with their primary objective of obtaining land and housing for themselves. Nevertheless, the
organization professes great interest in improving their health status via whatever projects that are presented.
Microfinancing and Entrepreneurship
The advantage of such an idea is it addresses the economic issue, which is something that is very near to the
members’ hearts. Moreover, in the hands of capable managers, this can effectively harness their current skill sets
and provide income for the group and its members. The question however is how exactly will this be
administered, who will work, and who will be able to access the money. Furthermore, entrepreneurship is certainly
a gamble, and there is the reality that any investments made can transform into losses for a multitude of reasons,
chief among them the inexperience of both we and PATAMABA-Kalayaan. There is also the question of seeking the
right agencies that can and will provide funding, as well as obtaining a proper market for whatever venture they
choose to enter. Finally, whether they will have the time and effort to work on this aside from their current goal of
fixing their housing situation is something to be considered.
Multipurpose Cooperative
This is basically similar to the Entrepreneurship project, except that it eliminates the problem of a market, should
the cooperative choose to sell products to its own neighborhood, by way of a dry goods store or food outlet.
However, a multipurpose cooperative traditionally sources its funds from its own members, and this seems to be
difficult already given that they themselves have difficulty paying the current monthly dues. Other than these
differences, the same set of pros and cons for the previous project basically applies.
21
PART II. STRATEGIC PLAN
I. Vision and Mission, Objectives
The following vision, mission, and objectives were formulated by the group based on those articulated by
the Kalayaan members and officers during an FGD. This VMO will serve as a guideline for the group to follow
whatever strategies that will be implemented within the organization.
VISION
Ang KALAYAAN ay isang organisasyon na naitaguyod mula sa pinagsama-samang sikap ng mga kasapi nito
na ang tanging layunin ay magkapitbisig sa pagpapaunlad ng kabuhayan ng mga miyembro nito. Paninindigan ng
mga miyembro nito na bumusog sa isa’t-isa ang pagkakaisa, katapatan, at tiwala upangmakamit ang isang matibay
at matagumpay na organisasyon.
MISSION
Layunin ng KALAYAAN na maiangat ang antas sabuhay ng mga kasapi nito, sa pamamagitan ng
magkakaroon ng sariling lupain kung saan sama-samang nagkakaisa at nagtutulungan ang mga kapwa miyembro
nito. Nais rin na makamit ng KALAYAAN na makipagsalamuha sa iba’t-ibang mga organisasyon upang lumawak ang
mga kasapi nito sa pakikipagtulungan sa kapwa sa kaunlaran ng buhay.
OBJECTIVES
Gabay ng mga moralidad ng pagiging makatao at makadiyos, sinisikap ng organisasyon ang mga sumusunod na
layunin:
1.) Na makamit ang hangarin na lupain, upang magtaguyod ng isang komunidad, at magkaroon ng
kooperatiba at multi-purpose hall.
2.) Na makasali ang mga miyembro nito sa mga programang pangkabuhayan, gamit ang pakikipagbahagi ng
iba’t-ibang kasapi nito ng kani-kanilang mga kaalaman at kakayahan.
3.) Na makipagtulungan sa mga LGU, at mapasama sa mga proyektong gobyerno at iba’t-ibang mga NGO na
may katulad na layunin sa pagpapaunlad ng kabuhayan.
4.) Na magkaisa at magtulungan ang mga miyembro nito sa pamamagitan ng pagsisikap, pagtiyaga at
pagaaral ng iba’t-ibang paraan ng pagdagdag ng kita upang maitaas ang antas sa buhay.
II. Strategic Objectives
Given that the VMO of the organization is relatively new, the strategic objectives of the organization
should focus on letting the members know what the new VMO states. Thus, the following objectives are put into
place:
22
A. Strengthening of Organizational Structure
Currently the members of the organization are still confused about the current organization structure.
Reaffirming or strengthening the organization structure is a must. Officers must have clear roles and clear
tasks as to prevent overlapping of work and inefficiency. Delineation of each officer’s task and the activities
under them would help in strengthening the organization.
B. Information Dissemination of Organization Structure
Members are confused in terms of who they will approach for a specific idea or task. Thus, there must be
an organization wide dissemination of information which would include the names of all the officers, their
respective positions and their respective tasks. This avoids misappropriation of tasks.
C. VMO Information Dissemination
The organization has a new VMO which was done by the officers. The challenge is to make sure that
everyone in the organization will know what the organization stands for. This then would ensure that the
members of the organization are of one mind. In addition, this would create realistic goals for the members in
terms of what they expect from the organization.
D. Organization Database
An organizational database would ensure that all members are accounted for. In addition, this will help in
planning of events in terms of how many to expect. In future programs, an organizational database would give
the organization numbers in terms of coverage which would serve as a baseline to measure member
participation.
III. Recommended Strategies and Programs
Given the VMO and the needs of the organizatioon, the group hopes to instill basic medical and health
skills within members of the organization KALAYAAN through correct knowledge and practice, and teachings of
topics that are relevant to them and the community around the area.
Thus, guided by the vision of ensuring a long-term and sustainable health program within the organization, the
group strives to complete the following:
1.) To help raise funds for the materials needed to train the health workers, to ensure a sustainable project
via different fund-raisers and other solicitations.
2.) To train, support and supervise community health workers or volunteers
3.) To teach specific individuals the proper way of taking vital signs with the proper technique of using a
sphygmomanometer and the uses of a stethoscope.
4.) To teach different first aid techniques via a BLS seminar, with proper certification
5.) To teach the health workers on how to use the IMCI (Integrated Management of Childhood Illness) charts
for better care of the common diseases of children.
6.) To help the members of the organization to acquire PhilHealth insurance, and to teach them its uses and
benefits.
The strategies for the programs can be divided into four categories: training of health workers, organizing
a health committee, an awareness and health education campaign, and fund generation or resource mobilization.
The group is aware of the scope of the four strategies and thus, the group is inclined to pick whatever is best for
the community during the time of implementation.
23
IV. Action Plans
The group would start with setting schedules and venues for the training of volunteers, in
coordination with the Kalayaan officers. Afterwards, the modules and necessary learning resources would
be gathered. For the IMCI, the modules would come from existing materials being used in training actual
BHWs. For Adult Care, the handouts will be adapted from the book “Where There Is No Doctor” (published
by Hesperian). Finally, resource persons for the trainings would be contacted and finalized. These would all
be done prior to September, the specific month allotted for the actual training of the KHWs.
Priority Area
Objective
Plan
I) Formation of
Health
Committee
To form a committee
that will standardize
processes relevant to
KHWs and oversee the
selection of volunteers
who will be trained to
serve as KHWs
Meet with Kalayaan
officers and discuss
with them the plans
and the tasks to be
accomplished
ASMPH Students
Kalayaan Officers
Papers for notes
II) Gathering of
Baseline Data
and Program
Evaluation
To gather data that will
be used in the future in
evaluating the results
of the program
Conduct surveys and
FGDs
ASMPH Students
Kalayaan Members
and Officers
Survey sheets will be
distributed to members
III) Equipment
Provision
To raise funds which
will be used in buying
first aid kits and
medical apparatus such
as stethoscopes,
sphygmomanometers,
and thermometers
Meet with Kalayaan
officers and
members to discuss
fund-raising options
that they can
organize
ASMPH Students
Kalayaan Members
and Officers
To be determined in the
future
ASMPH Students
ASMPH students will
provide apparatus such
as stethoscopes,
sphygmomanometers,
and thermometers
IV) Vital Signs
Seminar
To teach and train
volunteers regarding
proper vital signs
measurement,
specifically pulse rate,
respiratory rate,
temperature, and blood
pressure as well as
proper use of a
thermometer,
Prepare solicitation
letters to be
distributed by
ASMPH students to
various doctors and
other possible
donors
One-day session with
volunteers where
the students will
demonstrate the
proper techniques,
followed by a returndemonstration
preceptorials
Persons Involved
Resources
24
sphygmomanometer
and a stethoscope.
V) IMCI Training
To teach the health
workers the proper use
of the IMCI module by
conducting a seminar
concerning the correct
health processes that
promote key family
practices, health care,
disease prevention and
proper home care for
children.

VI) Adult Care
This will help the
health workers to
appropriately refer
sick children to the
correct health
services as
necessary
To teach the KHWs how
to detect, monitor,
manage (treat or refer)
and prevent diseases
prevalent in their
community.
Three day seminar
facilitated by doctor
volunteers who will
teach the IMCI
module
ASMPH Students
Doctor Volunteers
The doctor volunteers
will give a seminar
consisting of lectures on
IMCI while the ASMPH
students will distribute
the IMCI module charts.
Distribution of
bound copies of the
IMCI module charts
for use of the health
workers, together
with 100 initial
copies of the
following:
1.) Management of
the sick child
aged 2 months
up to 5 years
2.) Management of
the sick infant
aged up to 2
months
3.) Weight-for-age
chart for girls
4.) Weight-for-age
chart for boys
Three day seminar
facilitated by doctor
volunteers who will
teach how to detect,
monitor, manage
(treat or refer) and
prevent:
1) Hypertension
2) Diabetes
Mellitus
3) Upper
Respiratory
Tract Infection
ASMPH Students
Doctor Volunteers
The doctor volunteers
will give a seminar
consisting of lectures on
the specified topics
while the ASMPH
students will distribute
the handouts.
Additional lectures
will be given on
topics that are of
special interest to
the community:
1) Nutrition
25
2) Family Planning
VII)
Access to
Healthcare
To help the members of
the organization to
acquire PhilHealth
insurance, and to teach
them its uses and
benefits.



To be able to
inform and
provide the
organization
access to a health
care service via
PhilHealth
To be able to give
the community a
basic
understanding of
PhilHealth with
regards to what it
is, how to use it
and how to access
it
Full PhilHealth
coverage for the
members of the
organization
Distribution of
bound handouts on
hypertension,
diabetes, URTI,
nutrition and family
planning which is
adapted from the
book “Where There
Is No Doctor”
(published by
Hesperian)
A seminar that
includes:
1) Information
about
PhilHealth in
general
2) Information on
the benefits of
PhilHealth
3) Information on
how to use
PhilHealth
properly
4) Information on
the proper
procedure on
how to get
PhilHealth
ASMPH Students
PhilHealth
Representatives
A PhilHealth
representative will be
tapped to help with
regarding to basic
information, utility, and
access to PhilHealth.
A. Formation of Health Committee - August 2010
.
A health committee will also be put up, again in coordination with the current officers of Kalayaan.
The health committees will come from voluntary members of the organization who are willing to undergo
training seminars set up by the group. Armed with the proper knowledge, those part of the health
committee are expected to have basic knowledge about current health issues and how to address them.
In addition, the group will help the committee delineate the responsibilities of its future members, as
well as standardize relevant processes, particularly those concerning membership, assignment of KHWs to
the different families, and turnover plans for the KHWs. In addition, the organization structure of the health
committee should also be done to provide a chain of command. This would prevent confusion from the
26
members on who they will approach. A specific hierarchy with specific duties and responsibilities will be put
into place.
When these are all settled, the members of the Health Committee will be tasked to disseminate
information to the members in order to identify those who would be willing to be KHWs. If there are many
volunteers, the group and the Health Committee will convene in order to select those who are most eligible
to undergo the training and determine the families they would be assigned to serve.
The group and the Health Committee will also work together in gathering baseline data regarding
primary and secondary health outcomes through surveys and FGDs not only to assess current health
condition of the members of the organization but also for comparison to post-intervention health status as
a way of evaluating the effectiveness of the program. Primary health outcomes include data on morbidity,
mortality, and hospitalizations, while secondary health outcomes include satisfaction with perceived
services and health problems encountered during the year.
B.
Equipment Provision – August 2010
The group also plans to help the organization procure basic medical equipment such as stethoscopes,
sphygmomanometers, thermometers, and first aid kits that would be used by the KHWs. Ideally, each KHWs
would be given her own bag containing these tools.
C.
Training of Kalayaan Health Workers and Seminars for All Kalayaan Members – September- October 2010
a.
Vital Signs
The members of the group would be the ones to distribute the stethoscopes,
sphygmomanometers, stethoscopes, and thermometers to the KHWs. The students would give a
short lecture about the equipments, including proper usage and caring for them. The KHWs would
then be allowed to practice on each other for a period of time before they are asked to measure the
vital signs of other Kalayaan members so that the students would be able to assess whether they are
competent or need more training.
b.
IMCI
The students, and if available, more notable resource persons would discuss the IMCI to the
KHWs. They would also be provided reference materials and a video copy of the lectures for future
reference.
c.
Adult Care
The students, and if available, more notable resource persons would teach KHWs how to detect,
monitor, manage (when to treat or when to refer) and prevent diseases that are common in their
community, namely: Hypertension, Diabetes Mellitus, Upper Respiratory Tract Infection and Special
Topics (Nutrition and Family Planning). They would also be provided reference materials and a video
copy of the lectures for future reference.
d.
Seminar for Kalayaan Officers and Members
Every member of the organization would be invited to attend a seminar regarding to be delivered
by a PhilHealth representative. The seminar would educate those who will attend about basic
information about the history of PhilHealth, the benefits that its members receive, and the how the
system works.
27
D. Follow Up and Assessment of Plans – March 2011
At the end of the academic year, the group plans to gather data regarding primary and secondary health
outcomes and compare these with the baseline values obtained earlier to determine whether the program has
caused changes in these values. Furthermore, activities done would be evaluated in light of the results to
determine areas that need improvement and appropriate measures to be undertaken.
V. Financial Requirements/Sourcing
In order to achieve the action plan, the group will assist Kalayaan financially through fund-raisers and
solicitations. The table below shows the amount needed per project:
Equipment
MATERIALS NEEDED
PRICE
Sphygmomanometer, stethoscopes, thermometers and first aid kits
PhP 1000
Copy of the WHO-UNICEF: IMCI Chart
Php 60
Initial copies of growth charts and assessment forms
Php 400
Handouts on Hypertension, Diabetes Mellitus, Upper Respiratory Tract
Php 500
Provision
IMCI
Training
Adult Care
Infection and Special Topics (Nutrition and Family Planning)
Access to
Pamphlets summarizing Philhealth, its coverage, how to get and how to
PhP 1000 for the
Healthcare
use it.
making of the
pamphlets
VI. Performance Measures/Targets
PROGRAM / ACTIVITY
1) Formation of Health Committee
PERFORMANCE MEASURES/OUTPUT

Formation of an active health
TARGET

committee that is responsible for
80% – 100% satisfaction among
Kalayaan members
the health of Kalayaan members

Performance of Health Committee
2) Gathering of Baseline Data and
Program Evaluation
3) Equipment Provision

will be measured by survey.
Surveys and FGDs

Funds raised sufficient enough to
buy first aid kits, stethoscopes,
sphygmomanometers, and
thermometers for the use of KHWs.

4) Vital Signs Seminar

Post-training evaluation


All necessary programs are
evaluated
Each KHWs equipped with one
stethoscope,
sphygmomanometer and
thermometer
Post-training evaluation target
28
o

80% – 100% of Kalayaan
Kalayaan volunteer will be
volunteers will be able
evaluated in terms of
to properly and
accuracy of measurements
accurately measure
and proper technique)
vital signs)
Post-implementation
o
o
Practical Exam (each

Post-implementation
o
Community survey on
satisfaction with BHWs
At least 70% community
satisfaction
application of vital signs
testing (satisfied, not
satisfied)
5) IMCI Training

Post-training evaluation
o

o



and utility of the
Gathering of feedback
material
o
7) Access to Healthcare

Above average
treatment and
feedback on diagnosis
management of patients
and prognosis of
using IMCI material
patients.

Post-training evaluation target
o
Simulated patient testing
Post-implementation
o
Low difficulty in the use
of the IMCI material
Post-training evaluation
o
Pass simulation test
Post-implementation
o
Survey on the ease of use
from BHW regarding
6) Adult Care
Post-training evaluation target
o
Simulated patient testing
Post-implementation
o


Post-implementation
o
Gathering of feedback
Pass simulation test
Above average
from KHWs through self-
feedback on
rating surveys regarding
applicability of
applicability of knowledge
knowledge and skills
and skills learned during
learned during the
the seminar
seminar
Pre-implementation
o
Baseline: # of people from
Kalayaan who have
PhilHealth
o
Community survey: Assess
knowledge about
PhilHealth (benefits)

Post-implementation

Post-implementation target
29
o
# of people from Kalayaan
o
covered by PhilHealth
o
Survey assessing
At least 80% PhilHealth
coverage
o
At least 80% among
perceived importance of
those covered by
PhilHealth to their families
PhilHealth will declare
that it is important to
their family
30